Yesterday’s News…

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I was recently invited to Z’Tejas to check out their seasonal Chile Bash menu. It’s a celebration of chiles and so much more. Every year Z’Tejas does a special menu and donates $1 from each entree to a local organization. This year the funds are going to the Cancer Survivorship Clinic at the Children’s Blood and Cancer Center at Dell Children’s Hospital. Chiles for a great cause? That’s a meal any Austinite can get behind.

The Chile Bash menu offers two skinny cocktails: Skinny Smokin’ Margarita and Skinny Z ‘Smash. I tasted the latter and the fresh Herradura Anejo, orange and lemon juice, mint and agave nectar made for a refreshing 179 calories. There was no artificial aftertaste, like many skinny drinks have. It was really delicious and had a serious kick. They aren’t messing around with the chiles on this menu. Mr. Betty had a glass of Coppola Diamond Collection Claret. Coppola always makes decent inexpensive dinner wine.

We shared an appetizer of Chile Onion Rings with chile and barbecue dipping sauces. The slivers of fried chiles were divine! The other starter on the special menu is a chile and field green salad with pecans, goat cheese and sweet pickled chiles.

The Adobo Steak Relleno was a healthy take on typically fried dish. Stuffed with seared beef tenderloin, Jack cheese, and caramelized onions, it was topped with a chipotle corn relish.

The Herb Chile Glazed Mahi Mahi was the number one recommended item from the server, and it was indeed very tasty. The fish was expertly seasoned and cooked to perfection. It was accompanied by New Mexico slaw and the same spicy red beans and chile rice that came with the relleno.

Other special entrees included Tamarind Chicken Salad and Pork Tenderloin Sliders. But we wanted to save room for the Chile Bash dessert item, the Chile Coconut Flan. The caramel sauce, fresh berries and whipped cream played nicely with the creamy, rich flan. I must confess, I’m not really a flan lover. But the texture of this one was so right! I would order it again in a heartbeat.

The fundraiser lasts until September 16th and they aim to raise $5,000 in that time. Swing on by and order from this delicious menu and put your dinner dollars towards something good.

Disclaimer: I received this delicious dinner on the house but was not compensated for this post.